Liz, at its most basic the story follows the fate of four characters, two from Jamaica, two from England.
Although it starts in the late '40's with one woman leaving her 'small island' to join her new husband in his London lodgings, there is quite a bit of 'back story' for her and the other three, especially their different WWII experiences.
As you can imagine it is almost impossible for me to say how a group of Texas housewives (presuming that is the 'make-up' of your reading group!) might enjoy a story of how black people from the British Empire find their expectations of the 'Mother Country' fall far short of what they hoped.
You might suggest that Levy shows a remarkable degree of tolerance in her writing towards all parties.
I'm sure there could be much discussion about the problems of immigration (legal or otherwise) over the border into your State, and how these people can find their place in your society. Are the streets of the USA really paved with gold etc.

I think this is a perfect book for a group - so much to talk about here - immigration, leaving home, settling in to a new life, racism, colonialism, WWII...

>it is almost impossible for me to say how a group of Texas housewives ... might enjoy a story of how black people from the British Empire find their expectations of the 'Mother Country' fall far short of what they hoped.

If this is the group, then this would be just the book to stretch their minds a bit (but don't tell them that, they'd probably toss the book aside! :)

I second veer's comment. You also might want to
broach (brooch?) it as a book about WWII, and how it affected the lives of the British as well as immigrants.

Also tell them that the book is wonderfully written, very plot driven, and its a page turner. Also tell them its a relatively short book and a quick read. In some groups, that's helpful to know!

You might want to read it first tho - you know your group, and you might very well decide its not the book for them. But it might just be :)

Cindy

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it. Book club is tonight so will let you know how the vote turns out. Even if they don't want to read it as a group, I will read it anyway. I just think it would be a good group choice from what I have read and from what you have both written.

Thanks again.

Well, my book club didn't choose "Small Island" (sigh), but did choose "Elizabeth and her German Garden" by Elizabeth Von Arnim and then April's book is "The Linnet Bird" by Lynda Holeman... I am happy with the choices so that's nice, and shall read "Small Island" anyway.... :-)

>Elizabeth and her German Garden" by Elizabeth Von Arnim

Oh I love this book! I discovered the author through Common Reader catalogue. First one I read was Christopher and Columbus, about two young ladies from England who are sent to America by their uncle (circa early 1900s) Great characters. I don't think I've read a book of hers that wasn't excellent. She reminds me a bit of Mary Wesley, if anyone reads her, but with a bit more humor. So even if they didn't chose Island, I approve of their choice :)

She also wrote Enchanted April which has to be one of my all time favorite movies.

I am in two book clubs and in one of them,we always like for at least one person to have read the book before choosing it. This has worked out well. It's hard to recommend a book which one hasn't read,other than to relate what others have said about it. I recommended Small Island to my club and we'll be discussing it in April. I'm so glad this book is being discussed here and will save the thread. It will be invaluable.

>Enchanted April

Oh duh - of course! I actually saw the movie first, loved it, and once I discovered the author read the book. The movie comes suprisingly close to the book, but its still a very worthwhile read

My RL club is the same way. The person who recommends the book has to have read it. Which means we usually get a nice selection of choices, because the group is pretty eclectic (all are customers of a well established independent bookstore). Then its much easier to make a case for it (or not - if the person recommending it is someone whose reading taste is different from mine, it would have to take other voices for me to pick it)